The integrated five-year master’s program in initial teacher education was introduced in Norway in 2017 to promote the gradual development of students’ research and development (R&D) competence. The master’s thesis is designed to be research-based, profession-oriented, and closely linked to practice. This study explores how the integrated program influences students’ R&D competence and learning outcomes. Data were collected through group interviews with 15 students across four subjects: Norwegian, Christianity and other religious and ethical education (CREE), Natural Sciences, and Professional Pedagogy. Findings indicate that R&D-related learning activities are fragmented and that structural conditions constrain competence development. While the master’s thesis strengthens research-based knowledge, it appears to have limited impact on recruitment processes. The study suggests that when master’s work is firmly anchored in classroom practice, it can play a significant role in students’ professional development.
Lundberg et al. (2026) studied this question.